Return to Ohinéné

I first wrote about Ohinéné last June, after Tom and I dined there upon the recommendation of a friend who lives nearby. We recently returned to celebrate the success of Tom's e-book, Dining Out in Paris, because Ohinéné is one of the twelve restaurants featured in it!

Ohinéné restaurant
© Discover Paris!
Edith (co-owner and chef) and Jean-Benoit (co-owner and part-time server) were as cheerful and welcoming as ever.

Edith Gnapié and Jean-Benoit Chauveau, co-owners
© Discover Paris!
We were surprised to see an image of their son Owen on a poster in the window on rue Orfila as we approached the front door:

Y'a bon, BISSAP
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It tells passersby that Ohinéné serves wonderful bissap (a soft drink made from hibiscus flowers). I can testify to this because Tom and I both ordered it the last time we dined here and we loved it.

Bissap
© Discover Paris!
This time, we elected to try Edith's fresh ginger juice and were equally impressed. It is the best I've tasted in Paris!

Ohinéné still serves French cuisine at lunchtime, as the menu behind the counter shows. They've even begun serving burgers, which have become ubiquitous in Paris restaurants.

Lunch menu
© Discover Paris!
But at night, cuisine from Côte d'Ivoire reigns! Edith almost always prepares a dish that is braised and smothered with a vibrant array of chopped veggies.

Special of the day
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And Jean-Benoit is proud of the top quality mangoes that he selects for dessert.

Fresh mango
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Read about Edith and Jean-Benoit's story in Dining Out in Paris.

Ohinéné
14, rue de la Chine
75020 Paris
Telephone: 01 71 20 67 62
Metro: Pelleport (Line 3bis)or Gambetta (Line 3)

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Ohinéné - A Taste of Côte d'Ivoire in Paris

Several months ago, a dear friend recommended a French-Ivorian restaurant in his neighborhood. Tom and I finally planned to have dinner there after a guided tour that we took through the Ménilmontant district and on the appointed day, we wended our way through the streets until we came upon the bright red façade of Ohinéné on the corner of rue de la Chine and rue Orfila.

Ohinéné restaurant
© Discover Paris!
The restaurant is fairly small and the decor is reminiscent of an American lunch room, including a display counter where French take-out items are visible. The dining room is sparsely decorated, but is bright, neat, and clean.

Ohinéné dining room
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The appearance of the restaurant can be confusing to those expecting to see "theme" decor to accompany the Côte d'Ivorian dishes that are served here. But rest assured, you are in the right place! One look at the handwritten menu of the day will give you the confirmation that you seek.

Menu of the day
© Discover Paris!

While mulling over the menu, we each ordered a rum punch. Tom's was made with banana and guava nectars, lime, and white and dark rum. Mine was concocted with ginger. Both cocktails were thicker than we anticipated, as though fruit pulp had been used as the base. Both were delicious!

We ordered from the chalkboard that the waiter brought to the table. There were no starters listed, just main courses.

Tom decided to try the fish special of the day. Called Dorade royale marinée et braisée à l’ivoirienne, it was a whole sea bream that had been marinated, braised, and then served smothered in medley of chopped purple onion, tomato, and zucchini. The succulent white flesh of the fish was flaky and tender and separated easily from the bone. A large mound of riz rouge (rice prepared with tomato sauce) was served alongside.

Dorade braisée
© Discover Paris!
Riz rouge
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I ordered Kédjénou de poulet, a preparation of chicken stewed with chopped peppers and onion. I received a breast and drumette served in a bowl and drenched in the yellow-orange colored broth in which it had been stewed. A small bowl of attiéké, a dish of light and fluffy fermented cassava pulp, was served alongside. I found the dish nourishing and satisfying.

Kédjénou de poulet
© Discover Paris!
Attiéké
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For the beverage accompaniment, we each ordered a glass of bissap, a sweetened beverage made from an infusion of the flower of the roselle (hibiscus) plant. The Ohinéné recipe for this drink is thicker than most bissaps that we've tasted and we found it to be quite refreshing.

Bissap
© Discover Paris!
The variety of desserts offered were not African inspired, but we were pleased with our choice of Tiramisù, a favorite Italian confection. Served in a square bowl, it consisted of cake soaked in coffee syrup that had been topped with mascarpone cheese and powdered with cocoa. We have not tasted a Tiramisù as good as this in a long time. Many are too dry or lack strong coffee flavor—this one was just right!

It was a hearty, satisfying meal. Edith Gnapié, the chef, came out of the kitchen a few times during the service to be sure that everything was fine in the dining room. Her French husband was our waiter and he was very attentive as well. Though this restaurant is off the beaten path for us, we wouldn't hesitate to make reservations to return here!

Ohinéné
14, rue de la Chine
75020 Paris
Telephone: 01 71 20 67 62
Metro: Pelleport (Line 3bis)

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